The World’s Coolest Neighborhoods: Inman Park, Atlanta

The World’s Coolest Neighborhoods: Inman Park, Atlanta

Atlanta is bubbling over with new restaurants and areas to explore, but one of the hottest spots, Inman Park, isn’t new at all. In fact, Inman Park has been around since the 1880’s—it was Atlanta’s first planned suburb with streetcar access to downtown.

Since the invention of cars, Buckhead and Morningside have gotten most of the hype. It didn’t help that Inman Park hit a rough patch in the 50’s and 60’s, becoming an economically depressed area causing the wealthier residents to flee to Buckhead and Virginia-Highland.

But charming Inman Park has since rebounded and is now one of the city’s most affluent areas, with plenty to offer residents and visitors alike. Part of the 30307 zip code, Inman Park includes North Highland Avenue, Lake Avenue and Edgewood Avenue as its main arteries.

Walk down any of these streets—hint: Sinclair Avenue and Elizabeth Street are also particularly charming—and you’ll be captivated by the sweet, colorful Victorian homes, many of them converted into apartments...MORE after the flight to other suburbs, and the wild beauty of the gardens with wildflowers and hydrangeas in the summertime. If you look hard enough, you may find the hidden parks tucked away in the neighborhood, like Springvale Park.

While a streetcar no longer comes to Inman Park, it is accessible by MARTA. The Inman Park MARTA station is located on DeKalb Avenue, less than a mile away from Krog Street Market. Convenient, since the Inman Park Festival rolls around each spring, bringing with it local artists and food purveyors – but limited parking.

Here’s where to eat, drink and play in Inman Park:

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02 of 06

Living in Inman Park: Real Estate, Apartments and Rentals

••• The Alexan on Krog

You may like Inman Park so much that you move here. According to Zillow, the median price for a home in Inman Park is $444,440 and that’s expected to rise 4.2 percent over the next year. Homes for sale include this charming 1920’s bungalow, a duplex in walking distance of Krog Street Market and, on the lower price end but with a more modern feel, there’s this industrial condo.

If you can’t swing a down payment to own in Inman Park, rentals are available, too. North Highland Steel prides itself on offering luxury apartments, and is just steps away from the BeltLine. If you want to live in the hottest part of the neighborhood, check out the rentals at Inman Quarter, where you’ll find studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartments, or The Alexan on Krog, where amenities like rooftop terraces, resort-style pools and luxury interiors reign supreme.

The neighborhood has convenient resources, like the Inman Park Animal Hospital, easy access to Grady Hospital and just five minutes away (give or...MORE take with Atlanta traffic) from Kroger. Families looking to cool off during the hot summer months can head to the Inman Park Pool. It’s a member-only pool strictly for residents – think country club, but without the golf course and club house.

Schools that serve the 30307 zip code include Mary Lin Elementary, Inman Middle School and Grady High School (the specific school may vary depending on your address).

Whether your house hunting or not, you can get a taste of the Inman Park life during the Tour of Homes. Part of the Inman Park Festival, the Tour of Homes gives you a peek into the charming houses you pass by that always make you wonder, “what’s it like?” The tour takes you into 10 homes, some with modern updates and some with their original character preserved.

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03 of 06

Where to Eat: Inman Park Restaurants

Whether your taste buds like international fare or crave dishes of a more domestic nature, Inman Park has something for everyone. Head over to Krog Street Market (KSM) and hit up one (or several) of the eclectic dining stalls. Open since 2014, KSM is a new-fashioned dining hall, with 11 stalls and five restaurants to choose from. Popular go-to’s include modern Middle Eastern delight Yalla; Gu’s Dumplings and Fred’s Meat and Bread. For a full service experience, visit Superica, restaurateur Ford Fry’s wildly popular Tex-Mex spot, or the Cockentrice, a meat-centric restaurant opened by the folks behind the Spotted Trotter, the resident butcher.

Walk a few blocks over to Inman Quarter, and you’ll find a different sort of dining mecca. This mixed-use development is just steps away from the Atlanta BeltLine, and seems to have a new, highly-anticipated spot opening every week. Restaurants here include the brand new Hampton and Hudson, offering upscale bar food (cool ranch chicharrones,...MORE anyone?); Bread and Butterfly for fans of leisurely French café dining; and, for the seafood lover, MF Sushi, a swanky spot offering modern takes on traditional sushi.

Don’t forget the OG’s of the neighborhood. Southern charmer Wisteria opened in 2001 and has remained popular for twists on southern eats (i.e. black eyed pea hummus). Rathbun’s, another Inman Park mainstay opened by Kevin Rathbun in the early 2000’s, operates in a warehouse setting and has earned a spot in Atlantan’s hearts with rich items like eggplant fries, roasted bone marrow and a “second mortgage” required lobster taco.

His other restaurant, Rathbun Steak, is just down the street offering even more rich delicacies (like the dry-aged steak for two).TWO Urban Licks also followed the warehouse trend in 2004 and has remained one of Atlanta’s hottest restaurants ever since. If you pass it on the BeltLine you’ll notice its beautiful garden, and inside you’ll find a lofty atmosphere and staple items like salmon chips and brisket.

Can’t decide where to start? Visit during Inman Park Restaurant Week, held each spring, and you’ll find incredible deals at a variety of spots. Other than this particular week you won’t get to try upscale staples like Rathbun’s three-course menu for just $25.

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04 of 06

Watering Holes: Inman Park Bars

Fancy yourself a connoisseur of fancy cocktails? Then you may want to plan on a bar crawl around Inman Park! The neighborhood is filled to the brim with lush drinking spots. Amer, translating to “bitter” from French, recently opened as an establishment celebrating classic cocktails made with bitters and Italian Amari. Enticing concoctions found here include “Smoke & Chill” with Mezcal, pineapple, cinnamon, banana, lime and angostura; “Bone & Mast” with bourbon, rum, banana, stout reduction, allspice, lime, bitters; and the “Gucci Tonic” with gin, rum, pineapple, Creole shrub, lime, tonic.

On the other end of the cocktail bar spectrum sits Ticonderoga Club. This quirky bar can be found in the back of KSM, but when you enter the bar you leave Atlanta behind and are transported to a different place and time. With dark wood and a nautical motif, Ticonderoga harks back to Revolutionary times and the taverns our Founding Fathers may have imbibed. You can imbibe on a cocktail off of...MORE their short, but inspired, list with tipples like the “Ticonderoga Cup” with rum, cognac, sherry, pineapple, lemon and mint or the “Yankee Dollar” with cognac, aged rum, Italian vermouth, cherry, Amaro and lemon bitters.

Or perhaps, you’re a beer guy, or gal. On the edge of Inman Park you can belly up to the bar at Wrecking Bar. What was once a Victorian mansion has now been converted to a gastropub with as many as 11 rotating beers on tap. Beers vary in style. Flavors include “Choco Mountain Imperial Breakfast Stout” with notes of dark chocolate and mocha; “Spruce Juice Pale Ale” made with spruce tips foraged by local farmers at Crack in the Sidewalk Farmlet; and “Hurricane Boomslang IPA” with tropical notes of mango and pineapple. The kitchen is headed up by Chef Terry Koval, who sources the restaurant’s produce from local farms (including the restaurant’s own farm, Wrecking Barn) and uses the findings for unique dishes like kale and cheese fondue. Of course, there’s always their classic mini corn dogs.

Other fan favorites include Last Word, The Albert , Krog Bar and North Highland Pub.

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05 of 06

Where to Get a Sweet Fix

For that raging sweet tooth, Inman Park offers a few reliable options. You can grab a scoop at Queen of Cream or Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Perfect for dessert on the go! Queen of Cream also serves up house baked options like brownies and cakes.

Time slows down at Julianna’s Crepes, a charming sweet spot tucked into a residential part of Inman Park, but not too far from the main attractions (read: walking distance). The cavernous atmosphere is cozy and quaint – especially inviting during the cooler months. There are savory crepes on the menu, but the sweet ones are where it’s at. With delicious options like the “Cherry Bomb crepe” (pickled sour cherries, vanilla curd, Oreo crust and vanilla curd), the “Ace” (marshmallows, peanut butter and chocolate graham crackers) and the “French Whip” (chestnut puree and whipped cream) you can’t go wrong.

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06 of 06

Where to Get Your Sweat On

••• Photo courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine.

All that eating and drinking, you may feel the need to burn some of it off! Don’t worry, Inman Park has you covered there, too. The Atlanta BeltLine runs through Inman Park, welcoming runners, joggers and walkers alike (and even the four legged friends!) to get physical in the free, open space. You can even rent bikes from Atlanta BeltLine Bicyle.

Yogis can find their “om” at Yoga Samadhi. Here, they specialize in “Vinyasa” yoga, along with restorative classes. If you like your yoga with a side of sweat, you can go to Hotlanta Yoga, where the temperature is cranked to 95 degrees. Great way to detoxify after all those other Inman Park indulgences!

Kick things into high gear at X3 Sports. This sports complex is guaranteed to make you break a sweat with a variety of fitness options. Get all that pent up Atlanta traffic frustration out at their kickboxing or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes. Or get your heart racing in the cardio focused Fast Track class. Don’t be surprised to see UFC fighters...MORE training in the rings there, too.